The new love interest in Rory McIlroy's life -- golf

Rory McIlroy says he has fallen in love with golf again as he prepares to compete in the British Open at Hoylake in Liverpool. "I'm a golfer first and foremost, the last month or so I've really buried my head in my golf game," he told CNN's Living Golf show.

McIlroy recently called off his engagement to Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, a move which triggered a wealth of press interest. The two-time major champion said the issuing of wedding invitations had convinced him he wasn't ready for all that marriage entails.

Just a few days after the split was announced McIlroy pitched up at the European Tour's flagship event -- the PGA Championship -- and promptly won. It was his first big tournament win in Europe. Afterwards he said: "It's been a weird week."

McIlroy's best performance at The British Open to date was his third place at St Andrew's in 2010. He led after the first day but shot 80 the next to sink down the leaderboard. "It was my first time leading a major after the first round and I didn't really handle it that well," he said.

McIlroy's form has fluctuated since his win at Wentworth. He missed the cut at the Irish Open before finishing tied for 14th at the Scottish Open last weekend. He broke the course record on the opening day before suffering another slump the next.

McIlroy has utilized the time he has spent in his native Northern Ireland prior to the British Open to get his game in good shape for links golf. "I'll be getting as much practice around the greens because that's where you have a lot of variety and play shots you normally don't play on tour," he said.

McIlroy recently went on holiday to Ibiza with friends, his first lads' trip in four years, he told The Telegraph newspaper. "It was great, chilled out and it was nice to get away from the game for a bit," he said. "I didn't touch a golf club while I was there. But once I got back, I really wanted to get back into it again."

Whatever happens, McIlroy is sure to attract big galleries and large support in Liverpool, especially given its proximity to Ireland. He goes out on Thursday at 9.26am local time, with playing partners Hideki Matsuyama of Japan and America's Jordan Spieth.

HIDE CAPTION

Tuning up

Love split

A 'weird' week at Wentworth

Time for Open success?

Ups and downs

Links practice

All smiles

Big draw

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STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Rory McIlroy says he has fallen in love with golf again in recent months

Two-time major winner recently split from fiancee Caroline Wozniacki

Northern Irishman has been preparing for The British Open in Liverpool

McIlroy hoping to improve on his third place finish at St Andrew's in 2010

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy has a smile on his face again, and it is all to do with a new love in his life -- golf.

After reams of column inches devoted to his split with fiancée Caroline Wozniacki, the two-time major champion has decided to go back to basics in order to fill the void.

As he heads for the third major of the year -- The British Open in Liverpool that begins Thursday -- he's been busy stalking the links courses of his native Northern Ireland and rekindling his passion for the game.

"I'm a golfer first and foremost and the last month or so I've really buried my head in my golf game.

"Golf is my first passion and my first love and it's great to be able to spend days playing and remember where you started again, remembering those rounds at Holywood Golf Club," he added referring to his local club in Northern Ireland.

McIlroy targets Open improvement

Rory McIlroy & Caroline Wozniacki split

A golfing history of Royal Liverpool

"Just remembering the love and the joy you have for the game. I feel like I've found that out these last few weeks."

The 25-year-old's decision to call off his planned wedding to Danish tennis star Wozniacki predictably sparked a maelstrom in the press.

Two high profile sporting stars, known the world over, ending their engagement just days after wedding invitations had been issued became headline news.

A bereft looking McIlroy fronted up at Wentworth ahead of the BMW PGA Championship in May merely hours after the news broke, and promptly won the European Tour's flagship event.

That triumph represented his first big win on European soil, his other victories on the Tour coming either in the Middle East or Asia.

The 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 U.S. PGA champion spoke of the "sanctuary" the course offered away from all the questions about his state of mind and emotional well-being.

And a large chunk of his time since has been spent honing his game on the links courses of his homeland in preparation for his assault on another prestigious crown -- The British Open.

Despite being brought up on courses similar to the one he'll try to tame at Royal Liverpool in the 143rd incarnation of golf's oldest major, McIlroy has struggled to make an impression since 2010.

But that is something he is determined to change this time around.

"I feel like my record in the British Open hasn't been great," he explained.

"It's important to prepare to play links golf, to know the course as much as you can.

It was one of the low points in a slump that saw him relinquish the world No. 1 ranking and fend off persistent questions as to whether his equipment deal with Nike had disrupted his game.

And though he missed the cut after a round of 75 on the second day, he took some valuable lessons from his playing partner on the opening two days, and eventual winner, Phil Mickelson.

"I played with Phil Mickelson for two rounds at Muirfield last year and I was really impressed with the way he controlled his ball flight," McIlroy said.

"He was bouncing balls into the green, getting the ball on the ground as soon as possible and I feel that's something I need to do more of.

"Back when I was an amateur I was used to playing links golf much more so you are much more comfortable playing those shots.

"Now as a pro most weeks you're playing everything through the air and trying to adapt your game for these two weeks a year.

It's official -- double major winner Rory McIlroy and former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki are no more. McIlroy says he realized he wasn't ready for marriage when their wedding invitations were mailed out. When it comes to sport, the path of true love rarely runs smooth and in this gallery, CNN looks at sporting couples who have aced their relationships and those who have seen their private lives hit the rough.

American lovebirds Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert won both singles titles at Wimbledon in 1974 and were engaged, but by the time the grass-court grand slam came around in 1975 the wedding was off. Decades after splitting from the eight-time grand slam champion, Evert swapped the tennis court for the golf course...

After the break up of her marriage to British tennis player John Lloyd in 1987 and a divorce from Olympic skier Andy Mill in 2006, Evert tied the knot with Australian golf star Greg Norman. But it would not be a case of third time lucky for Evert as the pair separated in 2009 after 18-months.

Adam Scott followed in the footsteps of his hero Norman by sparking a golf and tennis romance of his own in 2010 with Serbia's Ana Ivanovic. The pair split after both saw their form suffer, before unsuccessfully reuniting in 2011. Scott captured the first major title of his career at the Masters in 2013.

When Australian Lleyton Hewitt began a romance with fellow tennis ace Kim Clijsters in 2000, the former world No. 1's country took the Belgian to their hearts. She was dubbed "Aussie Kim" and it looked like they were set to live happily ever after when a wedding was scheduled. The pair split in October 2004, but Clijsters would still find her happy ending...

Now retired, Clijsters is happily married to former American basketball player Brian Lynch, with whom she has two children.

Like Clijsters, Maria Sharapova found love on the basketball court. The four-time grand slam winner got engaged to former Los Angeles Lakers star Sasha Vujacic, before ending her relationship with the Slovenian in 2012. She is now dating fellow tennis star Grigor Dimitrov.

Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic knows more than most about the trials and tribulations of a tennis fling. He was engaged to marry former world No. 1 Martina Hingis before the two called off their nuptials in 2007.

Undeterred, Stepanek started a second tennis fling with compatriot Nicole Vaidisova and the couple married in June 2010, but subsequently announced they had filed for divorce. Stepanek has since dated 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova but they split in April.

Tennis super stars Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf are living proof that sporting couples can go the distance. The former world No. 1s married in 2001 and have two children together.

'Wozilroy' split

Wimbledon winners

Hooking a 'great white'

Dip in form

'Aussie Kim'

Life with Brian

Sasha split

Stepanek separation

Double fault

The perfect match?

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"That's why I'm going to try and practice those shots so when the time comes I'm comfortable with them."

McIlroy does have some memories of the course at Hoylake, having played there as a teenager, but they can't be classed as fond ones.

"I actually played at Hoylake in 2003 in the British boys as a 14-year-old and got beaten in the first round," he said.

"That was the first and last time I have played the course. It's quite a flat golf course. I like the bunkering -- the faces look at you off the tee so you have a good visualization and good definition of where you need to hit the ball round there.

"I remember watching The Open in 2006 and how hot and burnt it was, Tiger (Woods) taking an iron off every tee and going on to win.

"I'm looking forward to seeing it again. I think it's a course from what I remember should set up pretty well for me depending on the conditions."

As he rekindles his love for golf, another important relationship in McIlroy's personal life has also deepened.

He and Jack Nicklaus -- the greatest golfer of all time with 18 majors to his name -- are neighbors in Florida, and McIlroy is a member at the 74-year-old's Bear's Club.

And that means McIlroy has the ear of one of the most important opinions in the game.

"Jack has always been so generous with his time, we've formed quite a nice friendship over the last few years," he explained.

"Being a member of his club in Palm Beach we've talked a lot. Most of the time it's about golf and how to handle certain situations. The (most recent) meeting was how he manages his time.

"All the things he had to manage on the course and still dedicate himself to his game. Finding a balance in life in a way.

"It's always nice to spend some time with him, if nothing else it inspires you to go out and be better, practice and be a better player.

"I think he gets me and I do too. A lot of the things he says really make sense."